August 14, 2005

Forgiveness of Sins

This is not a very big subject among Quakers. Sin is not a big subject there. Why? because too many of us got out minds choked by 'jacklegged preachers' threatening us with hell; so it's become a dead issue.

But, not just a Quaker, sin is a real issue with me. Likewise forgiveness: Blake said it best "throughout Eternity I forgive you; you forgive me." It's the basic interpersonal dimension of Christianity. It's the work of the Holy Spirit whenever we let it happen. When we refuse, we block God's work.

God is love; loving, at least a big part of it, is forgiving. To forgive is that of God in us.

4 comments:

Paul said...

Hi Larry, I think you must be right - relating forgiveness to love. I'm doing another off-topic week, but I'm thinking in terms of either forgiveness or gratitude as topics for when I "get back to business" after Labor Day at the latest, probably before.

Forgiveness, the more I look at it, seems to me like a complicated subject. But I have the feeling that by connecting it to love, you may be getting right to where the discussion would have to end up.

crystal said...

Hi Larry. The Quaker attitude to forgiveness of sin sounds very healthy :-)

Anonymous said...

very interesting topic indeed! i love your blog!

Meredith said...

Blake's quote ,""throughout Eternity I forgive you; you forgive me," fits this scripture perfectly! Thank you for sharing this Larry. There certainly is a profound feeling of love embedded in this circle of forgiveness.